SOLE ELEMENT WITH DEFINED BENDING STIFFNESSES

Abstract

The invention relates to a sole element that is introducible into a shoe, comprising a flexible top layer for receiving a foot in a footbed, an insole body having locally different bending properties, which insole body extends parallel to a top layer surface and which insole body is joined to the top layer surface, the insole body is in the form of a one-piece body extending over a first subregion and over a second subregion, which first subregion of the insole body having a high bending stiffness is arranged in a plane adjacent to the second subregion of the insole body having a low bending stiffness, wherein the second subregion is arranged in a manner at least partially enclosing the first subregion, wherein the first subregion is arranged in the region of the midfoot and/or in the heel region.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a sole element insertable into a shoe, comprising a flexible cover layer for receiving a foot in a footbed, an insole body having different bending properties in each partial area, which insole body extends parallel to a cover layer surface and which insole body is connected to the cover layer surface.

2. Description of the Related Art

WO2010085834A1 discloses a sole element comprising a cover layer, an insole body attached to the cover layer and extending parallel to the cover layer, wherein adjusting elements are attachable to the insole body in order to achieve adaptation of the sole element to the needs of the user through the adjusting element. WO2010085834A1, page 4, second paragraph, mentions the formation of the insole body with different material properties, in particular bending properties, in order to meet the supporting function and adaptability of the insole body. Neither the wording of the description of WO2010085834A1 nor the figures of WO2010085834A1 provide a person of skill in the art with clear instructions as to how the insole element comprising different material properties is to be formed. In particular, WO2010085834A1 fails to disclose the formation of a first partial area with a first bending stiffness and of a second partial area with a second bending stiffness.

DE29810518 is cited as prior art in WO2010085834A1. DE29810518 discloses a shoe insert to be assembled in a modular manner There is no indication in DE29810518 as to the formation of partial areas of the shoe insert with different bending stiffnesses by employing said modular system.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,210 discloses a shoe sole with an adjusting element in the heel area, which heel area is formed to be extending flat (see FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,210) or with a convex arcuate form. There is no indication in U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,210 as to the formation of different bending stiffnesses.

DE1982317U discloses an insole comprising a truss pad. There is no indication in DE1982317U as to the insole having a higher bending stiffness in the area of the truss pad. The insole (identified by the reference numeral 5 in FIG. 1 of DE1982317U) is formed out of compression leather. Compression leather is freely deformable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed below faces the object of adapting a shoe to the user's needs by inserting the inventive sole element into the shoe.

For example, the invention disclosed below relates to an insole. The inventive sole element may also be part of an inner shoe, which inner shoe is inserted into an outer shoe.

Said object is achieved by a device and a method according to the claims.

According to the invention, this is achieved by the insole body being formed as an integral body extending over a first partial area and a second partial area, which first partial area of the insole body with a high bending stiffness is arranged in a plane adjacent to the second partial area of the insole body with a low bending stiffness, and which second partial area is arranged at least partly enclosing the first partial area.

The first partial area having a high bending stiffness is arranged within the insole body in the form of islands.

The deformation behavior of the inventive sole element is determined by arranging first partial areas with a high bending stiffness and second partial areas with a low bending stiffness in the insole body. Movement of the foot abutting the first partial areas is hereby prevented, while movement of the foot abutting the second partial area is enabled.

The formation of first partial areas with a high bending stiffness and second partial areas with a low bending stiffness, wherein the second partial areas at least partly enclose the first partial areas, corresponds to the structure of a foot's sole, making the inventive insole body very well adaptable to a person's needs.

The insole body extends below the footbed in partial areas. The insole body supports the footbed and influences the distribution of forces on the foot by its mechanical properties.

An enclosing arrangement of the second partial area around the first partial area is present when the second partial area is arranged as an area extending around the first partial area. The second partial area extends along the entire circumference of the first partial area.

An at least partial enclosure of the first partial area by the second partial area is present when areas of the first partial area are arranged not adjacent to a second partial area. This may be the case in particular when the first partial area extends all the way to the edge of the inventive insole, so that no arrangement of a second partial area is possible for reasons of geometry.

A difference in bending stiffness between the first partial area and the second partial area may be achieved by different thicknesses of the insole body and/or by arranging different materials or material combinations in the partial areas. The latter may be done by arranging rebar bodies within the insole body, for example. Formation of the cover layer with different thicknesses will by no means create different bending properties, as the cover layer is formed out of a very soft material having no bending property according to the common teaching.

The transition between the partial areas does by no means need to be abrupt or sharp, i.e., exhibiting a clear partial area limit. The transition between the partial areas may be designed so as to be continuously increasing or decreasing.

The inventive sole element may be characterized in that the insole body has an arcuate form in the first partial area, wherein the insole body has an arcuate form with a bending stiffness increasing from an arc end to a vertex in the first partial area.

A bending stiffness variable over the arc length may be achieved by the choice of material. For example, the insole body may have reinforcing elements in first partial areas with a higher bending stiffness. The number or density of the reinforcing elements may vary over the arc length.

The insole body may have an arcuate form with an insole body thickness varying over the arc length in the first partial area, wherein the insole body has an arcuate form with an insole body thickness increasing from an arc end to a vertex in the first partial area.

Due to the folding properties, an arc formed in such a manner is easier to deform by a force acting towards the center of the arc than by a force acting away from the center of the arc. The inventive sole element may be characterized in that the insole body, when used, is deformable only towards the center point in the first partial area and thereby exclusively downwards, not upwards.

This is of particular importance for an insole, as the forces acting on an insole are by no means limited to forces acting top-down (mainly as a result of the user's weight), but, for example, forces with a bottom-up acting direction may also occur as a result of the deformation of the shoe that takes place. A deformation caused hereby, such as a bottom-up warp of an insole, for example, would be inconvenient for the user.

The first partial area of the insole body may have a V-shaped structure in a plane parallel to a cover layer surface. In this embodiment, the second partial area extends between the legs of the V, so that the first partial area partly encloses the second partial area.

The V-like structure of the first partial area is arrangeable on the surface of the cover layer any number of times.

The insole body may be made of a thermoplastic. A person of skill in the art is capable of selecting a suitable thermoplastic material which is preferably adaptable to the user's foot at about 120° C. Since the cover layer is mostly made of an insulating material, the surface temperature of the footbed is about 50° C. during the adaptation procedure.

The inventive sole element may comprise an adjusting element arrangeable in the first partial area, which adjusting element is attachable to a first insole body surface of the insole body.

The adjusting element is a three-dimensional body which is positioned below the sole element for locally raising the sole element. To do so, the sole element is arranged at the insole body surface of the insole body according to prior-art methods. The initially mentioned document, WO2010085834A1, lists possible forms of connecting an adjusting element to the insole body.

The adjusting element may have different heights in order to achieve a local slant of the footbed. The adjusting element may be formed as a truss pad.

Further, the adjusting element may be fastened to the insole body surface via planar adhesion means, such as adhesive surfaces or hook-and-loop surfaces, for example. A planar connection of the adjusting element to the insole body surface has the advantage that the incurring shear forces may be well absorbed. Further, the use of releasable connecting means such as hook-and-loop fasteners, for example, allows quick and easy removal and optional replacement of the adjusting element.

The adjusting element may be attached to the insole body by any mechanical connecting means.

By arranging a planar adjusting element in the area of the first partial area and by the planar connection of the adjusting element to the insole body, the bending stiffness of the first partial area is further increased. The adjusting element may have a shape adapted to the insole body surface for planar connection to the insole body.

The adjusting element may be arranged in the concavely shaped first partial area. This prevents the sole element from being deformed upwards in the area of the adjusting element, which would be very inconvenient for the user.

In particular, the adjusting element may be arranged at the vertex of the concavely formed first partial area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, it will be explained in more detail based on the figures below.

In a highly simplified, schematic representation,

FIG. 1 shows a potential embodiment of the inventive insole without an adjusting element,

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of the inventive insole depicted in FIG. 1 with an adjusting element,

FIG. 3 shows a potential further embodiment of the inventive insole without an adjusting element, and

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of the inventive insole depicted in FIG. 3 with an adjusting element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be initially pointed out that like parts in the variously described embodiments are provided with like reference numerals and like component designations, wherein the disclosures throughout the description may be applied mutatis mutandis to like parts with like reference numerals or like component designations. Also, indications of positions chosen in the description, e.g., top, bottom, side, etc., are referred to the figure immediately described and depicted, and these indications of positions would be applied mutatis mutandis to a new position in case of a change of position.

The embodiments of the inventive sole element are depicted in the figures. The figures do not include the foot, which is in contact with the sole elements when the depicted embodiments of the sole elements are used.

FIG. 1 shows a potential embodiment of the inventive insole. FIG. 1 includes a view of the inventive sole on the left as well as cutaway views of sections A-A, B-B, and C-C included in said view. This arrangement of view and cutaway views is maintained throughout the FIGS. 1 through 4.

The inventive sole element has a shape such that the sole element can be inserted into a shoe according to the prior art. In the view, FIG. 1 in particular shows a sole with a ground shape known in the art, which essentially follows the shape of a foot.

The inventive sole element comprises a cover layer 1 for receiving a foot in a footbed 2. The cover layer 1 is made of a textile, so that a surface convenient for the user can be formed.

An insole body 3 is arranged below the cover layer, by which insole body 3 bending stiffnesses are assigned to the inventive sole element according to the prior art. The insole body 3 situated below the cover layer 1 and extending parallel to the cover layer 1 and connected to the cover layer 1 has varying bending stiffnesses in each area.

In particular, the inventive sole element comprises two first partial areas 6, 6′ in the integrally formed insole body 3, which first partial areas 6, 6′ are enclosed by a second partial area 7. The first partial areas 6, 6′ each have a higher bending stiffness than the adjacent second partial areas 7. By applying the common teaching, such higher bending stiffness of the first partial area may be achieved by a rebar body not shown in FIG. 1 and/or by a higher thickness of the insole body 3 in the area of the first partial area 6.

The bending stiffness and thereby the deformation behavior of the inventive sole element is advantageously determined by arranging first partial areas 6, 6′ adjacent to second partial areas 7.

In the embodiment of the inventive sole element shown in FIG. 1, the first partial areas 6, 6′ are clearly separated from the second partial areas by the partial area limits 8, 8′ included in FIG. 1. A person of skill in the art will recognize that the thickness of the insole body can be changed between the first partial areas 6, 6′ and the second partial area in a continuous manner, i.e., without tiers.

The one first partial area 6, which is arranged close to the metatarsal area 5, has a concave arcuate cross-sectional shape as seen in cutaway view C-C. The thickness of the insole body 3 is increasing in the area of said first partial area 6 from the partial area limit 8 to the arc vertex 9.

It is achieved by this special shaping of the first partial area 6 that said first partial area 6 is deformable in the case of a typical downward strain by a foot, as depicted by arrow 10 in FIG. 1.

The other first partial area 6′ is arranged in the heel area 4 of the inventive sole element. The other first partial area has a convex arc form, wherein the insole body has an equal thickness and thereby equal bending stiffness in the area of the other first partial area 6′.

The first partial area 6 comprises adhesion surfaces 13 for adhering adjusting elements not depicted in FIG. 1 (see, in particular, section A-A in FIG. 1). As depicted in the following figures and described below, the sole element can be raised by said adjusting elements in the first partial area 6 in order to achieve better adaptation to the foot. The adhesion surface 13 has a subdivision 14, so that the user can easily and accurately arrange adjusting elements, which preferably have the shape of the partial surfaces marked by the subdivision 14.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the inventive sole element, wherein the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 equals the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and described above with one added adjusting element 11. Using said adjusting element 11, the inventive sole element is raised in an area around the adjusting element 11, wherein advantageous effects are achieved by the formation of the sole element within the first partial area 6.

It can be observed with a sole element as described in WO2010085834A1 that the sole element can deform upwards in the metatarsal area 5 when used, in particular during walking, which can be inconvenient for a user. During walking, in particular when rolling the foot over the toe area, the sole element is bent in the metatarsal area 5 as relief takes place in the metatarsal area 5 and in the heel area 4.

This can be enhanced by arranging an adjusting element 11 in the metatarsal area 5, as the sole element, and in particular the insole body 3, are subjected to initial deformation by the arranged adjusting element 11, which initial deformation favors the upward deformation inconvenient for the user.

The advantageous formation of the first partial area 6 described above prevents the deformation of the sole element in the first partial area 6. In particular, the upward deformation inconvenient for the user is prevented by the formation of the first partial area in an arcuate form with a bending stiffness increasing from the partial area limit 8 to the arc vertex.

The other first partial area 6′, in which other first partial area 6′ no upward deformation can be observed, has a consistent bending stiffness.

The insole body 3 of the sole element depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is made of a thermoplastic, so that the sole element can be adapted to the form of the user's foot by heating the thermoplastic by a simple method.

FIG. 3 shows another potential embodiment of the inventive sole element, which is suitable for inserting it into a shoe. To do so, the inventive sole element has a shape adapted to the sole or to the footbed of the shoe.

The sole element comprises a flexible cover layer 1 for receiving the foot in a footbed 2. The inventive sole element is thereby in contact with the foot through the footbed 2, wherein the position of the foot is influenced by the material properties of the sole element.

The sole element further comprises an insole body 3, which insole body 3 extends parallel to, and has a planar connection to, the cover layer surface.

The insole body 3 is formed as an integral body extending over first partial areas 6, 6′ and over second partial areas 7, wherein the term “integral” in this case means that the partial areas are inseparably connected to each other.

A first partial area 6 of the insole body 3 with a high bending stiffness is arranged in a plane adjacent to a second partial area 7 of the insole body 3 with a low bending stiffness. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the higher bending stiffness is arranged by arranging a body in the insole body 3 in defining the first partial area 6.

The second partial area 7 is arranged at least partly enclosing the first partial area 6, so that the first partial area 6 is arranged within the second partial area 7 in an insular manner.

The first partial area 6 has a V-shaped structure in a plane in the insole body 3. In particular, the first partial area 6 forms two V-shaped structures which together give an X-shaped structure. The first partial area 6 is arranged within the second partial area 7 in an insular manner with its X-shaped structure.

The X-shaped structure of the first partial area 6 influences the property of the sole element with regard to a torsion significantly. A torsion of the sole element is possible only in the torsion area highlighted in FIG. 3 due to the geometrical structure of the first partial area.

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of the inventive sole element also depicted in FIG. 3, to which sole element an adjusting element 11 was added. Said adjusting element 11 covers the adhesion surface 10 in said view. The adhesion surface 10 is not depicted in the cutaways for reasons of clarity.

The first partial area 6 is suitable for influencing a potential deformation of an adjusting element 11 arranged between the legs of the V shape at the insole body surface in such a manner that a downward deformation of the sole element in this partial area is prevented. As explained above, such upward movement of the sole element would be very inconvenient for the user.

In the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the other first partial area 6′ is executed the same way as in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and therefore requires no further explanation.

The exemplary embodiments show potential variant embodiments, wherein it should be noted at this point that the invention is not limited to the specially depicted variant embodiments thereof, but rather that various combinations of individual variant embodiments among one another are possible and that this potential variation is in the skill of a person skilled in the relevant art by the present invention based on the teaching on technical procedure.

The scope of protection is defined by the claims. However, the description and the drawings are to be used for interpretation of the claims. Individual features or combinations of features from the various exemplary embodiments shown and described may represent distinct inventive solutions as such. The object underlying those distinct inventive solutions can be learned from the description.

All statements on ranges of values in the present description are understood to mean that they include any and all partial ranges therefrom, e.g., indication of “1 to 10” is understood to mean that all partial ranges starting from the bottom limit 1 and from the upper limit 10 are included, i.e., all partial ranges start with a bottom limit of 1 or more and end with an upper limit of 10 or less, e.g., 1 to 1.7, or 3.2 to 8.1, or 5.5 to 10.

To conclude, it should be pointed out for the sake of clarity that elements are partly depicted out of scale and/or larger and/or smaller for a better understanding of the structure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 1 cover layer
  • 2 footbed
  • 3 insole body
  • 4 heel area
  • 5 metatarsal area
  • 6 first partial area
  • 7 second partial area
  • 8 partial area limits
  • 9 arc vertex
  • 10 adhesion surface
  • 11 adjusting element
  • 12 torsion area

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A sole element that can be introduced into a shoe a flexible cover layer for receiving a foot in a foot bed, an insert body having partially different bending properties, which insert body extends parallel to a cover layer surface and which insert body is connected to the cover layer surface, the insert body is designed as a one-piece body extending over a first portion and over a second portion, which first partial areas of the insert body having a high flexural strength is arranged in a plane adjacent to the second partial area of the insert body with a low flexural strength, wherein the second sub-area is arranged at least partially enclosing the first sub-area, characterized in that the first sub-area is arranged in the area of the midfoot and/or in the heel area.

10. A sole element, insertable into a shoe, comprising: a flexible cover layer for receiving a foot in a footbed; andan insole body having different bending stiffnesses in each partial area, which insole body extends parallel to a cover layer surface and which insole body is connected to the cover layer surface;wherein the insole body is formed as an integral body extending over a first partial area and over a second partial area, the first partial area of the insole body having a high bending stiffness and the second partial area of the insole body having a low bending stiffness, the first partial area being arranged in an area adjacent to the second partial area; andwherein the second partial area is arranged at least partly enclosing the first partial area.

11. The sole element of claim 10, wherein the insole body has an arcuate form in the first partial area, wherein the insole body has an arcuate form with a bending stiffness increasing from an arc end to a vertex in the first partial area.

12. The sole element of claim 10, wherein: the insole body has an arcuate form with an insole body thickness varying over the arc length in the first partial area; andthe insole body has an arcuate form with an insole body thickness increasing from an arc end to a vertex in the first partial area.

13. The sole element of claim 10, wherein the first partial area of the insole body has a V-shaped structure in a level parallel to a cover layer surface.

14. The sole element of claim 10, wherein the insole body is made of a thermoplastic.

15. The sole element of claim 10, wherein the sole element comprises an adjusting element in the first partial area, which adjusting element is arrangeable at an insole body surface of the insole body.

16. The sole element of claim 11, wherein the first partial area has a concave arcuate form and the adjusting element is arranged within the concavely shaped first partial area.

17. The sole element of claim 16, wherein the adjusting element is arranged at the vertex of the concavely formed first partial area.